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Nearly Real World Current Events, 2006
December 1: Former Governor of Long Island Sandra Wood announces her candidacy for the Georgeland Senate at the next federal poll. 4: Bookstores across Georgeland report that they have sold more than 70,000 copies of Campbell Rhodes's autobiography, entitled Political Animal, a week before the book is due to be released. The book is widely expected to be a precursor to a Rhodes presidential campaign in 2008 11: Political Animal, the autobiography of former Prime Minister of Georgeland Campbell Rhodes, currently the Ambassador to the United Nations, hits shelves in Georgeland. Within hours of its release, more than 85,000 copies have been sold. 30: Saydneyan President Miranda Eaton, commenting on the death of Saddam Hussein, said that the international community should not get ahead of itself with the execution of the former dictator. She stated "While I have no moral objection to the death penalty, we must be certain that it is used in the interests and for the purposes of justice and not to bring about any other result" United Party of Saydney leader Bridget France said that the execution of Hussein was a step forward for a stable Iraqi democracy. In Georgeland, Prime Minister Zoe Parker said she was opposed to the death penalty in all cases, including Saddam Hussein. November 6:Georgeland Prime Minister Zoe Parker says the death penalty handed out to Saddam Hussein is "of concern" to her, but that the guilty verdict in Saddam's trial was appropriate. The government of Israel tells Georgeland television that it is not planning to withdraw its ambassador following Dr. Sharif's appointment. 9: The Georgeland Minister for Foreign Affairs, Charlotte LeBeau, says the Democratic victory in the mid-term elections in the United States are a signal that American policy in Iraq is flawed and that "now is the time to begin planning an exit." 13: Georgeland Alliance leader Michael Elderton and Independent MP Edwina Haggard introduce a private members bill, the Judicial Independence Act, into the Georgeland House of Commons. If passed, the law would require all future United Islands Supreme Court justices to be appointed by the recommendation of an impartial committee. The legislation is designed to prevent "stacking" of the Supreme Court by political parties. 26: The Georgeland government appoints incumbent Foreign Minister Charoltte LeBeau as Ambassador to the European Union. The Conservative Party of Georgeland accused Prime Minister Zoe Parker of "cronyism" in the face of the appointment. The new Foreign Minister will be Lawrence Porter, formerly Minister for Home Affairs. October 4: Victoria Englehart is elected to be the new Chief Minister of Long Island. 8: Supreme Court of Georgeland nominee Dr. Nisreen Sharif is revealed to have written an academic paper in the early 1980s that gives support to Hezbollah. Dr. Sharif has publicly condemned terrorism and shown evidential documents demonstrating her opposition to Islamism, calling her own paper "a stupid, naive view of a stupid, naive woman". Both major parties lend Sharif their support, though many leading political figures insist Sharif step down as the nominee. 10: In response to North Korea's nuclear test, Georgeland Minister for Foreign Affairs Charlotte LeBeau strongly condemns the North Korean regime and calls for a "concerted international effort" to "avert the gravest crisis the world may ever see." 13: Voters in West Mainland reject a proposa to introduce proportional representation for the state's legislature, but approve a change to have the Governor chosen by a 2/3 majority of the legislature rather than by direct election. 27: The Georgeland Senate confirms Dr. Nisreen Sharif as a Justice of the United Islands Supreme Court. Most of the Conservative Senators vote to confirm after party leader Luke Macaulay gave his support to Professor Sharif when a leaked document found she had expressed admiration for Hezbollah in the early 1980s. Pro-Israeli protestors demonstrate outside the Parliament building during the vote. The Georgeland-Israeli Society President Adam Simir says the Sharif appointment is an 'insult to Israel'. Prime Minister Parker defends the appointment, claiming Sharif has "utterly retracted" her views. September 19: Justice Bill Hope of the United Islands Supreme Court dies suddenly of a stroke. His death will lead to the second Supreme Court vacancy in four months. 25: The Georgeland government announces Dr. Nisreen Sharif, a Professor of Law at the University of Long Island and former member of the Long Island Court of Appeals, as the replacement for Justice Bill Hope on the bench of the United Islands Supreme Court. If confirmed by Parliament, Dr. Sharif would be the first Islamic Justice on the bench, and the first Muslim woman to be appointed to a federal office. 25: Yensen: small island in the middle of a lake first election winner was found being the yensen yenda party 26: Former Georgeland Prime Minister Campbell Rhodes, currently Georgeland's Ambassador to the United Nations, urges the world to send troops to stop genocide in Darfur, Sudan. He labels the Sudanese government 'a bunch of thugs' and pledges to push with 'every breath' to have a UN force enter Darfur, even if the Sudanese government withholds permission. 27: Chief Minister of Long Island Thomas Nathan announces his resignation for family reasons, effective on October 5. August 3: The Georgeland government announces a massive overhaul in Education policy and practice, including the establishment of a National Education Service along the same lines as the existing National Health Service. 8: Georgeland announces it will deploy a small number of troops to Linari to protect its embassy, but no peacekeepers unless part of an international force, preferably with the backing of the African Union. 18: Marc Emerson resigns as President of Saydney after twelve years in power. The presidency falls on an acting basis to Vice President Tony Martin. 21: Bill Williamson is elected to be the new Speaker of the Georgeland House of Commons. 22: Yensen: small island in the middle of a lake held it first election 23: The government of West Mainland announces a referendum to alter the state's constitution, changing the position of West Mainland from an elected to an appointed position. The referendum will also include a proposal to adopt proportional representation for the next state election in 2008. 25: Former Prime Minister of Georgeland Eric Edge is admitted to hospital after suffering a serious fall at his home. Doctors describe the 74-year-old's condition as 'serious' but not immediately critical. Councilor Miranda Eaton is elected by the High Council to succeed President Marc Emerson as the President of the United Federation of Saydney. President Eaton is the first woman to hold the office. July 4: A resolution for UN peacekeepers to enter Linari fails to pass the Security Council. 11: The Georgeland Football Association announces it will lobby for Georgeland to host the 2018 FIFA World Cup. 13: The Speaker of the Georgeland House of Commons, Andrew Hindle, announces his resignation for personal reasons. The post will be filled when Parliament resumes on August 21. Saydneyan President Marc Emerson arrives in St Petersburg for the G8 summit. The President said he would raise the crisis in Linari and the recent failed UN intervention. He would also take a strong message about the risisng violence in the middle east. 17: The destroyer UIS Victory assists in the evacuation of 48 Georgeland nationals stranded in Lebanon due to the violence. As many as 12,000 Georgelanders may still be in the country unable to leave. 30: Prime Minister of Georgeland Zoe Parker celebrates one year in office. June 1:Martial law is declared in Abodu, capital of Linari, after fighting breaks out, prompted by a police strike and rebellion after the police chief is arrested on corruption charges. 6: The King of Linari is forced to flee the capital, Abodu, as violence intensifies. 8: Paul McGuiness is appointed by Parliament to the Georgeland Supreme Court. 16: The budget of Saydneyan Tresurer Councillor Roy Wollard passed the High Council after weeks of debate and negotiations. The government welfare reform plans were stalled by the Liberal party who demanded greater personal tax cuts instead. The Budget is expected to pass the Congress unhindered. May 3: The three candidates for the leadership of the Conservative Party of Georgeland announce their choices for deputy leader. Luke Macaulay chooses Martin Higgins, Mary Byrne selects Simon Berliner and James Bradford chooses Angela Nallern. The deputy leadership will not be contested at the leadership ballot as per party rules - the candidates will run as running mates. 5: Luke Macaulay announces he will 'modernise and rejuvenate' the Tories if elected leader. In a speech to the National Press Club, Macaulay declares he would end the party's formal opposition to abortion if elected, though he refuses to do the same for same-sex marriage. 6: Luke Macaulay is elected leader of the Conservative Party of Georgeland, winning 80 votes in the first round. Mary Byrne recieves 42 votes and James Bradford 30 votes. There are three abstentions. Martin Higgins is elected deputy leader of the party. Macaulay will announce his shadow cabinet on Monday. 8: Luke Macaulay unveils his new-look Shadow Cabinet. Leadership rival James Bradford becomes Shadow Treasurer, and Mary Byrne Shadow Attorney-General. 25: The Georgeland government's Welfare Reform Act is passed by the Georgeland House of Commons. Under the reforms, all of Georgeland's welfare payments are consolidated into a single administration and a single form, called The National Fund. A new agency will be created to administer welfare payments and some other government services, to be called Fedlink. 29: After his nomination to the Supreme Court of Georgeland had been held up in committee for more than six months, the government withdraws Professor Colin Fitzpatrick's name for consideration to replace the retiring Justice Kevin Armstrong. The same day, Prime Minister Zoe Parker announces her replacement nominee, the Chief Justice of Capitalia, Paul McGuinness. April 7: Georgeland Prime Minister Zoe Parker announces a minor cabinet reshuffle. New senators Robin Sales and Lisa Foster are both appointed as junior ministers, while a number of current junior ministers are dropped altogether. Deborah Rhodes, wife of the former Prime Minister, becomes a Parliamentary Secretary. 11: The family of former President of Georgeland Michael Turnbull announce he has died of heart failure. 16: Conservative Party of Georgeland leader Sam Richardson suffers a massive heart attack while attending a party dinner in Doubledance. He is rushed to hospital but doctors are unable to clear the blockage in time. Richardson dies without ever regaining conciousness. He is survived by his wife Margaret and four children. Richardson's death came during the transmission of a pre-recorded interview with him by the GBC's Nathan Kellerman. 21: Sam Richardson's funeral takes place in Doubledance, attended by, among others, the U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice. 25: Luke Macaulay and Mary Byrne each announce they will seek to replace Richardson as leader of the Conservative Party of Georgeland. March 6: Former Prime Minister of Georgeland Campbell Rhodes, currently serving as Georgeland's Ambassador to the United Nations is issued a speeding ticket in upstate New York after being pulled over by the highway patrol driving at 125 miles per hour (201 kp/h), almost twice the legal speed limit. He is protected from arrest or prosecution by Wikipedia:diplomatic immunity. 7: The fate of President Emerson coalition government hangs in the balance after a closer than expected election. The SDC/Labour colaition is neck and neck with rival UPS in almost all Saydneyan states. Neither side is ready to conceed defeat and the final result may not be known for weeks. 29: Georgeland's Minister for Social Security, Michael Boyle, introduces new welfare reform plans into Parliament as the Welfare Reform Package Act 2006, including a reduction in unemployment benefits, re-classification of many people claiming disability or carer payments and the introduction of a national welfare to work program. February 1: Three of the MPs accused in the Civic Bank Investment Scandal in Georgeland, Alan Falco, Bob Shoemaker and Douglas Easter, resign from the Georgeland House of Commons. 2: The campaign season for Saydney's 2006 General Election offcially kicked off today with the launch of the Green/Socialist Alliance election manifesto. The Party has vowed that it would work towards a truly universal health care system and implement and pollution tax on industry. In other election news the party of President Marc Emerson is leading in the polls by 4 points over its greatest rival the United Party. However its colaition partners the Labour Party are not doing so well. The latest results could spell the end of the coliation governments plan to retake the High Council. 4: The remaining Senators and MPs accused in Georgeland's Civic Bank Investment Scandal resign, prompting President Charlotte Lang to ask for the issuing of writs for seven by-elections, and one Senate place, in East Mainland, to be filled by the state legislature. 6: That Campaign of the United Party of Saydney was offcially launched today. United Party Leader, Councilor Bridget France outline the parties policies with a particlar enphasis on education and public sector reform. Councilor France also warned Saydneyan's that if they had no reason to expect a better life after March 8 if they voted for President Emerson they should consider changing their vote. 7: The Chief Minister of East Mainland, Robin Sales, announces an election after his bill to privatize the state's power plants is defeated in the legislature. The state opposition leader, Lucien Hagerty, has promised to send the issue to a referendum if elected. 8: Latest polls in the Saydneyan General Election show a drop of over 3% for the government, in favour of the greens, Labour party and Independants. However one a two party preferd basis the government still has a commanding lead leading the UPS 50 to 42, with 6% undecided. The Election is on March 7. January 1: The new, enlarged, 80-member Georgeland Senate, elected in March 2005, takes office, although formal swearings-in will not take place until February 6. 2: The Georgeland Foreign Office announces four ambassadorial appointments. Current Ambassador to Saydney Gareth McKay is named Ambassador to France, and former Speaker Janet Morris is chosen to replace him. Tony Skinner is named Ambassador to Lebanon, and former Prime Minister Campbell Rhodes is named as Georgeland's new Ambassador to the United Nations 4: Former Georgeland Prime Minister Campbell Rhodes and his wife, Deborah Carr Rhodes, announce the birth of their second child, a girl, named Alexis Susanna. 6: Former Chief Minister of Mainland and West Mainland Tom Southwell dies suddenly of cancer, at the age of 48. 13: Former Head of State of the Territorial Republic of Nentia, John Tripham-Groves,Sr. dies in a car accident on Nentia Main under suspicious circumstances. Authorities "Categorically deny the presence of foul play". The funeral will be held on the 21 of January. 18: Recievers for the administration of the collapsed Civic Bank name nine Liberal Democrat members of the Georgeland Parliament as investors who lost money in the Bank's collapse, including the chairman of the House of Commons committee on Financial Affairs, four other members of that committee, two members of the Senate's Financial Affairs committee, and two others. Main article: Civic Bank Investment Scandal 19: Damon Grant, one of the Senators accused in the Civic Bank Scandal, resigns from the Senate but refuses to comment on the allegations. 21: The Civic Bank Scandal continues, as Tory Member of Parliament Stephen Cole, who sits on the House of Commons Financial Affairs committee, says the committee commissioned a report in which the chairman, Bill Robinson, and the other Liberal Democrats recommended a bailout of the Civic Bank by the Bank of Georgeland in mid-2004. 25: Georgeland Prime Minister Zoe Parker publicly calls for the resignation of the eight remaining MPs implicated in the Civic Bank Scandal and declares she knew nothing about the scandal until the news broke in the mainstream media. 26: Martin Kelvin, one of nine federal Liberal Democratic Party of the United Islands politicians involved in the Civic Bank Investment Scandal resigns from the Georgeland House of Commons over the affair, saying he believes it is the 'responsible course'. 30: The Scoitan branch of the Liberal Democratic Party of the United Islands chooses its state leader, Lisa Foster, to replace Damon Grant in the Senate. 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